Bearer Priority Determination in Wireless Networks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for prioritizing bearers in wireless telecommunications networks, such as UMTS, often require substantial processing and frequent reordering of bearers based on Quality of Service (QoS) attributes, which can negatively impact control signaling and traffic handling performance, and do not effectively consider bit rate in resource allocation.

Innovation Solution

A method to determine bearer priority by assigning numerical values to multiple QoS attributes, such as Allocation/Retention Priority, Traffic Handling Priority, and bit rate, and processing these values with predetermined weights to generate a single priority rating, allowing for dynamic and fair resource allocation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If hierarchical sorting of bearers using multiple QoS attributes is implemented, then bearer prioritization accuracy is improved, but processing complexity and control signaling overhead increase substantially

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebearer prioritization accuracyVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms multiple QoS attributes (Allocation/Retention Priority, Traffic Handling Priority, bit rate) into a single composite priority parameter through mathematical processing. This parameter transformation allows the system to maintain accurate multi-criteria prioritization while simplifying subsequent bearer scheduling decisions to single-parameter comparisons, thereby reducing processing complexity and control signaling overhead.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If frequent reordering of bearers is performed to improve QoS handling, then traffic handling performance is improved, but control signaling overhead and processing burden increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetraffic handling performanceVSAvoidcontrol signaling overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary processing of multiple QoS attributes into a composite priority parameter during bearer setup or QoS parameter changes. This pre-computation ensures that subsequent bearer reordering operations only require simple comparisons of the pre-calculated priority values, significantly reducing the processing burden and control signaling overhead during frequent reordering events while maintaining improved traffic handling performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If bit rate is included in bearer priority determination, then resource allocation fairness is improved, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource allocation fairnessVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple QoS attributes including bit rate (assigned bit rate, guaranteed bit rate, or maximum bit rate) with Allocation/Retention Priority and Traffic Handling Priority into a single composite priority parameter. This combination allows the system to consider bit rate for fair resource allocation while avoiding the complexity of separate processing for each attribute, as the merged parameter enables unified bearer prioritization and scheduling decisions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP2047644B1Determining priority of bearer channels in a wireless telecommunications network
Publication Date: 2010.11.24 NOKIA OF AMERICA CORP
  • EP2047644B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2047644B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2047644B1 patent drawing

AI summary

A method is provided of determining priorities of radio bearer channels in a wireless telecommunications network that offers various predetermined levels of quality of service. The method involves determining a numerical value representing a priority rating to be applied to a radio bearer channel. This is done by assigning each of at least two quality of service attributes of the bearer channel with a respective numerical value, then processing the values to provide the priority rating for the bearer channel.